Surfboard ankle leash

ABSTRACT

An ankle leash for securing a surfboard to a surfer&#39;&#39;s ankle by means of a length of resilient cord with one end of the leash cord being secured to the surfboard aft of the normal position of the surfer of the surfboard and the other cord end attached to an ankle strap that is easily and quickly adjustable to enlarge the strap for removal over the surfer&#39;&#39;s foot in times of emergency.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,802,01 1

Castagnola Apr. 9, 1974 SURFBOARD ANKLE LEASH 3,317,936 5/1967 Johnson et al 9/14 [76] Inventor: Philip J. Castagnola, 3910 I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 32 San D1egt Cahf- 497,471 12 1938 Great Britain 9/14 [22] Filed: Jan. 12, 1973 Zrintary Igtaminerlsgilt(1 r;EBichLer sszstant xammerau au erer [21] Appl' 323263 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brown & Martin [2%] :J.S.CCII. 9/311?5 21/5012 5 ABSTRACT z' A R An ankle leash for securing a surfboard to a surfers 9/31] 3 A 3 73 81 ankle by means of a length of resilient cord with one R 5 1 6 end of the leash cord being secured to the surfboard aft of the normal position of the surfer of the surf- [56] References Cited board and the other cord end attached to an ankle strap that is easily and quickly adjustable to enlarge UNITED STATES PATENTS the strap for removal over the surfers foot in times of Girden 1 emergency 2,572,889 lO/l95l Strykower 24/3 B 3,209.382 10/1965 Scans... 9/311 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SURFBOARlD ANKLE LEASH BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the sport and art of surfing, surfers ride the curl portion of the wave. Thus the surfer rides down the length of the breaking wave and normally does not expect or desire that the wave be ridden to the ultimate shoreline. This is particularly thecase where the shoreline may have rocks or other objects that can damage the surfboard. However, because the surfer and the surfboard often become parted, the surfboard is then driven by the onrushing wave to the shoreline or to the rocks. Where the surfboard is driven into the rocks, then the surfboard is damaged by dings or the like or is broken into pieces. Where the surfboard is merely driven onto a sandy beach, it is still necessary for the surfer to go through the entire surf to retrieve his board and then take his board back out through the surf to where the large waves are.

Thus it is advantageous to have a means for attaching the surfboard to the surfer so that the surfer may control the movement of the board after the board and the surfer part. However, such attachment or control device should be that which does not interfere with the surfer riding the board, or the passage of the board through the water, or that will be hazardous to the surfer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an exemplary embodiment of this invention, a surfboard ankle leash is provided that is secured at one end to the surfboard and at the other end around the surfers ankle. The leash, which includes a length of resilient cord, thus allows the surfer when he leaves his board, to maintain control of the travel of the board away from the surfer in the waves. Normally, the surf is not so strong that the leashed board will endanger the surfers control of his body in the surf, until he can retrieve the board.

In an exemplary embodiment, one end of the resilient cord is attached to an ankle strap. The ankle strap comprises a strap having a pair of spaced holes at each end. In operative position, the holes are aligned and spaced equal distances along the longitudinal length of the strap. The cord is passed through one pair of holes and looped back through the second pair of holes, with a knot tied in the end of the cord to prevent it from being pulled back through the holes. The cord freely moves in the holes. Thus the ankle strap may be enlarged easily and quickly, without binding, to a diameter that allows the strap to be removed from the ankle of the user over the users foot. However in normal operation, the line is sufficient to hold the strap on the user and without binding. It is particularly important that the strap be easily and quickly enlarged and removable from the user, should difficulty in the surf develop that requires the surfer to be separated from the ankle leash and the surfboard.

The other end of the cord is attached by means of a clasp to a length of line that is strong and has abrasive resistance greater than that of the resilient cord. The end of this line is attached to the surfboard in several unique manners, such as through an opening in the fin, or to a bolt that secures the fin to the surfboard, or to a clasp that is mounted flush in the surfboard for specific attachement to the end of the cord. The cord being resilient, allows resilient tugging of the surfboard on the ankle of the user, to reduce strain therebetween.

In use of the ankle leash, it has been found that the leash is particularly safe in that it can, in times of emergency, be removed from the ankle. The cord is not of sufficient length that it becomes wound around the surfer. The end of the cord is attached to the surfboard in a manner that the cord does not interfere with the normal movement of the surfboard through the water or in the surfers staying on his board. Further it has been found that where a surfer is separated from his board, it is many times advantageous for the surfer to be able to reach his board quickly and thus use the buoyancy of the board in supporting the surfer in the water. 1

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved ankle leash for securing a surfboard to a surfer.

Other objects and many advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and an examination of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ankle leash in use on a surfboard.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the ankle strap with the surfboard attachment indicated in section.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the ankle strap illustrating the method of opening the strap for attachment or removal.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the tail section of the surfboard showing an alternative attachment of the end of the leash.

FIG. 6 is a similar side elevational view showing a further alternative attachment of the end of the leash.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a surfboard 10 having a surfer l4 thereon, is connected to the surfer 14 by the surfboard ankle leash 12. The surfboard ankle leash has a length of resilient cord 20 that generally comprises a nylon shock cord that has an inner rubber core with two layers of nylon sheath.

One end of the cord is attached to an ankle strap 16. The ankle strap 16 comprises a strap of strong suitable material such as leather or other strong, waterimpervious material, that normally is non-resilient but flexible. The strap 16 has two pairs of openings or holes, with holes 22 and 24 being in end 28 and holes 44 and 46 being in end 30. The holes are spaced equal distances along the longitudinal length of the strap and when the ends 28 and 30 overlap, the holes are aligned. The end of the cord 20 is threaded through the aligned openings or through holes 22 and 24 and then through holes 46 and 24 with the end being knotted with the knot 26 that prevents the cord from passing back through the hole 24. Thus by pulling on the end 41 of the cord 20, the cord 20 slides through the opening thus tightening the strap onto the ankle of the user. When it is desired to remove the strap from the ankle of the surfer, it is merely necessary to grasp the end 28 and pull it, thus loosening the strap and enlarging its diameter sufficiently so that it may be slipped over the foot of the surfer.

The other end of the strap is connected to a line 34 that has a high tensile strength with high resistance to I abrasion. This line may be a nylon line. Clasp 32 connects the line 34 to the end 36 of the cord 20. The line 34 in FIG. 2, is connected by means of a clasp 42 to a bar 40 that is fixed in a cylindrical cup 38 within the surfboard forming a flush mounting means 18 to which the cord 20 is attached.

in FIG. 5, the line 34 is threaded through an opening 52 in the fin 48 of the surfboard 10 in a position at its rear edge surface and immediately adjacent surfboard. Thus the cord passes over the end of the surfboard and provides minimum contact with the water and minimum interference to the surfer. FIG. 6 illustrates the end line 34 being attached to a bolt 54 that connects the fin 48 to the surfboard 10 through a movable attachment means 50.

It may be recognized that the attachment of the surfboard ankle leash may be selectively removed from the ankle of the user and also the other end of the ankle leash may be selectively removed from contact with the surfboard.

Having described my invention, 1 now claim:

1. A surfboard ankle leash for securing a surfboard to a surfer comprising,

a length of resilient cord,

ankle strap means for fitting around a surfers ankle and being attached to one end of said cord said ankle strap means including a strap having a pair of spaced holes at each end,

said holes being spaced equal distances along the longitudinal length of said strap,

said strap being operatively overlapped with said holes being aligned,

said one end of said cord being threaded through one of said pair of aligned holes and threaded back through the other pair of holes,

enlarging means for enlarging the end of said cord to prevent its passage back through said holes,

securing means on the other end of said cord for securing said cord to said surfboard,

said strap when overlapped having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a surfers ankle,

said cord being freely movable through said holes,

said securing means comprising a clamp'for clamping a looped link of line to the end of said cord,

and said line having greater tensile strength and resistance to abrasion wear than said cord.

2. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 in which, said enlarging means comprising a knot in the end of said cord.

3. A'surfboard ankle leash is claimed in claim 1 including,

a surfboard having a fin,

and said line being attached to the rear portion of said fin through an opening in said fin located immediately adjacent said surfboard body.

4. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 including,

a surfboard having a surfboard body and a fin,

said fin being bolted to said surfboard,

and said line being secured to said bolt that secures said fin to said surfboard.

5. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 including,

a surfboard having a body portion,

said body portion having an opening therein,

said opening including a bar fixed in said opening below the flush surface of said surfboard,

and means for attaching the end of said line to said bar. 

1. A surfboard ankle leash for securing a surfboard to a surfer comprising, a length of resilient cord, ankle strap means for fitting around a surfer''s ankle and being attached to one end of said cord, said ankle strap means including a strap having a pair of spaced holes at each end, said holes being spaced equal distances along the longitudinal length of said strap, said strap being operatively overlapped with said holes being aligned, said one end of said cord being threaded through one of said pair of aligned holes and threaded back through the other pair of holes, enlarging means for enlarging the end of said cord to prevent its passage back through said holes, securing means on the other end of said cord for securing said cord to said surfboard, said strap when overlapped having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a surfer''s ankle, said cord being freely movable through said holes, said securing means comprising a clamp for clamping a looped link of line to the end of said cord, and said line having greater tensile strength and resistance to abrasion wear than said cord.
 2. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 in which, said enlarging means comprising a knot in the end of said cord.
 3. A surfboard ankle leash is claimed in claim 1 including, a surfboard having a fin, and said line being attached to the rear portion of said fin through an opening in said fin located immediately adjacent said surfboard body.
 4. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 including, a surfboard having a surfboard body and a fin, said fin being bolted to said surfboard, and said line being secured to said bolt that secures said fin to said surfboard.
 5. A surfboard ankle leash as claimed in claim 1 including, a surfboard having a body portion, said body portion having an opening therein, said opening including a bar fixed in said opening below the flush surface of said surfboard, and means for attaching the end of said line to said bar. 